Every god’s a god of death, Richard.
It’s the only thing we need them for.
Faulkner's Father has early-onset dementia and used to work for a wind farm.
| ATTENTION: SPOILERS AHEAD! Beyond this point, major plot spoilers are expected. Continue at your own risk. |
Personality[]
Faulkner's Father was an incredibly neglectful parent, who left his three sons to fend for themselves from a young age. Due to his dementia, he is unable to fully take accountability for his actions but during a conversation he has with Faulkner when he is more lucid he does seem to regret his actions.[1]
Background[]
Faulkner recalls his father as a tired man who worked nights on the wind farms forty miles out from their house in the Whisper Plains. He had little time for his sons besides bringing home enough money for a meagre living. He often longingly repeated a rumour that large electric pylon angels would break free, walk around and damage houses, and that if it happened to them, they would get insurance money which would allow the family to leave. Presumably, The Saint Electric influenced the area strongly, but Faulkner's Father was not religious. "If he had any faith at all, he was too tired and too absent to teach it to us."[2]
We know little about Faulkner's Father's background, not even his name. He was raised by Uncle Just, a relative who passed away years before the story takes place.[1] From the way he responds in the episode, it is suggested that Uncle Just was abusive towards him.
Faulkner states that his father's 'frankly inadequate' salary was spent in full on food, water, and keeping his brothers and him in school. Due to being tired, he relied on his children to take themselves to school, which they rarely did.[2]
His son Charlie was the first child found dead as a victim of The Drowning Song. After being informed by the police of Charlie's death, he became even more withdrawn, slept poorly, and silently paced the house and grounds when not working.[2] These events occurred when Faulkner was about 13 years old.[3]
His son Eddie left home without word some time later.[4]
When Faulkner was about 18, he returned home from walking in the woods and found that his father, too, had left. He had written a note for Faulkner, but Faulkner chose not to read it, believing that would leave him feeling abandoned. He prefers to believe that his father was scared of him. It is this that leads Faulkner to leaving home himself in search of other followers of The Trawlerman.[4]
At some point later, we discover that he is living with Eddie in his old age.[3]
When living in the Whisper Plains under the influence of dementia, he confuses a stray god / angel as his "Uncle Just", who he's increasingly terrified of. Despite Faulkner's attempts to protect him and keep him inside, his Father, believing the being to be the Uncle Just of his childhood, walks out to meet it. Although it is not confirmed what happens to Faulkner's Father[5], Faulkner ultimately accepts that his father is dead.[6]
Episode Appearances[]
| Chapters | Synopsis |
|---|---|
| Chapter 38: Shall Wither In Ruin And Rust | Faulkner's Father, suffering with early onset dementia, is looked after by Faulkner for a while. At the end of the episode, he leaves to face "Uncle Just". |
Connections[]
- Uncle Just raised Faulkner's Father. He appears to have been incredibly abusive towards him, and he is often distressed over this due to his dementia.
- Eddie is Faulkner's Father's eldest son. He leaves soon after Charlie's death.
- Charlie is his middle son. He is a victim of The Drowning Song, and Faulkner's Father feels responsibility for his neglectful actions which lead to his death.
- Richard is his youngest son. He abandoned his son when he was 18. During a conversation they have after reconnecting[6], he says that he is proud of him and that he regrets not being able to afford to pay for his transition.
Trivia[]
- Faulkner's Father, along with two other prominent parental figures in the series, is representative of a human-to-deity relationship. He is an absent god whose motives and apparent dereliction of duty we can only guess at.[9]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Chapter 38: Shall Wither In Ruin And Rust
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Chapter 2: And Next Of Dark Deceit
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 Chapter 14: And In Ruined Flesh Ascend
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Chapter 6: It Winds, It Worms, It Wends
- ↑ Faulkner believes the angel will kill his Father ("Dad, it’s not Uncle Just out there. It’s a god, it’s a god of death, and it wants to take you..." however, in the morning, after waking, Faulkner does look for his father again. The transcript says only, "FAULKNER’S FATHER has left once more in the night". (Chapter 38 Transcript)
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Chapter 42: I’ll Wheeze Through Splintered Teeth
- ↑ When Speaking to Faulkner, he says "Your" Uncle Just (Chapter 38 Transcript)
- ↑ Suggested by the repeated use of the title "Uncle" even when he's in a confused state (Chapter 38 Transcript)
- ↑ thesiltverses Tumblr post on 1st July, 2024